Go fish!

Photo courtesy WDFW

You’ve got two weeks till Father’s Day and you’re scratching your head and biting your nails as you try to come up with a great gift idea. Quit worrying, we’ve got you covered: take dad on a fishing adventure!

Dads and fishing go together like peanut butter and jelly, relish and pickles, rock and roll! And the 5,000 triploid rainbow trout the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will be stocking in 14 lakes just before Father’s Day weekend are bound to make it an unforgettable experience for you and your dad, and anyone else who joins in the fun.

According to the WDFW, who know this kind of stuff, the triploid trout average one-and-a-half pounds each and they can grow to trophy size because they are sterile and spend their lives feeding, not reproducing. The 5,000 new trout are in addition to about 42,000 triploids stocked in 117 lakes across the state earlier this year.

So get dad a license and check out all the places where you and dad can catch some of the extra big fish stocked to celebrate Washington fathers.

Fishing licenses can be purchased here or by telephone at 1-866-246-9453; or at hundreds of license dealers across the state.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Last chance to dig razor clams until the fall!

Photo credit: Lobo

Razor clams on the beach at Twin Harbors have been deemed safe to eat following a round of marine toxin tests, announced the Department of Fish and Wildlife. However, please remember that all other Washington beaches are still closed to razor clam digging.

Interested in joining the dig? Come out to Twin Harbors on May 5 through 7 to join fellow clam lovers on the beach. Digging will take place during low tide as follows:

• May 5, Saturday  –  6:32AM, -1.5 feet
• May 6, Sunday  –  7:19AM, -2.1 feet
• May 7, Monday  –  8:07AM, -2.3 feet

Show up about an hour or two prior to low tide – this is the only beach open for razor clam digging and there will more than likely be a crowd.

Here are some handy rules to keep in mind:

• Diggers are allowed by law to take up to 15 clams/day and are required to keep the first 15 they dig
• Each digger’s clams must be in separate containers
• A valid 2012-13 fishing license is required to participate, except individuals under 15 years of age, who may fish for free

Click here to purchase a fishing license. For more information about the dig, click here.

To read this post in Spanish, click here.